Coin counting and wrapping machine



NOV. 29, 1966 1 ARD ET AL 3,288,153

COIN COUNTING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1965INVENTORS DARRELL L. BALLARD HAROLD STRATTON BY M W A TTORNE Y NOV. 29,1966 BALLARD ET AL 3,288,153

COIN COUNTING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1965 r 4 Sheets-SheetZ INVENTORS DARRELL L. BALLARD FIG. 2 HAROLD STRATTON ATTORNEY Nov. 29,1966 D, BALLARD ET AL 3,288,153

COIN COUNTING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 12, 1965lunch I /IVVEIVTOR$ DARRELL L. BALLARD HAROLD STRATTON BY W FIG.

ATTORNEY NOV. 29, 1966 L R ET AL 3,288,153

COIN COUNTING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed July 12, 1965Tm me. i

muhZDOO EMPZDOO v m W4 DF U i f .FZDOW n mo I I FNWNK MEL-23 INFZDOINVENTORS DARRELL L. BA LLA R D HA OLD STRATTQN y W ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,288,153 COIN COUNTIN G AND WRAPPING MACHINE Darrell L.Ballard, Flint, and Harold Stratton, Genesee County, Mich., assignors ofthirty-three and one-third percent to Zetta Waara, Flint, Mich.

Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,175 1 Claim. (Cl. 133-8) The presentinvention relates to a machine for counting and wrapping coins.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved machine forcounting and wrapping a plurality of coins.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a coin counting machineimproved means for counting out a preselected number of coins.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a coin counting machinemeans for counting out coins in groups each of which contains apreselected number of coins.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forwrapping groups of coins in individual wrappers, each group containing apreselected number of coins.

Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by amotor driven shuttle mechanism which causes individual coins to beforced past and to actuate an electrical switch, and thereafter to dropinto an opened can wrapper supported in a metal tube standing upon arotatable index table. Actuation of the electrical switch causes anelectrical impulse to be registered upon a counting mechanism and, whena preselected number of coins have been thus counted and dropped intothe wrapper, operation of the shuttle mechanism is caused to besuspended. Simultaneously with suspension of operation of the shuttlemechanism the index table is caused to index or rotate from one stationto the next, carrying the filled coin wrapper into position for fillingof the wrapper. Upon completion of indexing, the shuttle mechanism iscaused to recommence operation, and the sequence continues to berepeated until the machine is manually turned off by the operator.

Other features, advantages and objects will become readily apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are employed todesignate like parts throughout the views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the left side and front of an improvedcoin counting and wrapping machine.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view from the right side and front of animproved coin counting and wrapping machine.

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view from the right of the shuttlemechanism of an improved coin counting and wrapping machine.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of an electrical circuit for animproved coin counting and wrapping machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, we provide a housingbearing a switch panel 12, an electrical counter 14, a visual countindicator 16, an operational signal light 18, a rotatable index table20, a coin hopper 22, a vertical hopper tube 24, and a support bracket26 for supporting the hopper and tube.

Novel shuttle mechanism generally indicated at 28 and best shown inFIGURE 3 is provided and includes a counting table 30 supported bybracket 26 below the lower end of tube 24 and a coverplate 32 mountedupon and in spaced, parallel relationship above table 30, providing ahorizontal space 33 therebetween. A guide tube 34 is supported by andextends downwardly through the forward portion of table 30. A frictionwheel 36 is ice rotatably supported below table 30 and extends upwardlythrough an aperture 38 in the table to the level of the upper surfacethereof immediately rearward of guide tube 34. An electrical switch 40of the microswitch variety is supported by coverplate 32 with thetrigger 42 of the microswitch extending downwardly through an aperture43 in the coverplate to a point directly above and in close proximity towheel 36.

A bushing 44 receives the lower end of tube 24 and extends into anaperture 46 in coverplate 32 above the rear portion of table 38 so as toprovide a space between the lower end of the bushing and the uppersurface of table 30 slightly greater than the thickness of one of thecoins to be counted but less than the thickness of two such coins, so asto allow clearance for but a single coin therebetween. A shuttle 48adapted for forward and rearward reciprocal motion is slidingly receivedwithin space 33 and is yieldingly urged toward its rearmost position bya pair of compression springs 50, 50 which rest in a pair of channels52, 52 in table 30 flanking space 33. A striker member 54, rigidlyconnected at its forward end to the rear of shuttle plate 48, isslidingly supported within a bushing 56 mounted upon a bracket 58 atophousing 10. A disk 60, eccentrically mounted upon a flywheel 62, forms acam to contact the rear end of striker 54 for the purpose of impartingreciprocating motion to the striker and hence to shuttle plate 48. Suchreciprocal motion of shuttle plate 48 is of sufficient amplitude tocause the forward edge of the shuttle plate to be alternately withdrawnrearwardly past the rear lower edge of tube 24, whereby the lowest coinstacked in the tube is permitted to drop into space 33 atop table 30,and then to be forced forwardly a suflicient distance to push such coinbetween and into operative contact With friction wheel 36 and trigger 42of switch 40. An electrical motor 64 imparts rotations to wheel 62 and,through a belt 66 interconnecting the wheel and friction wheel 36,imparts rotation also to the friction wheel, thereby providing motivepower for operating shuttle mechanism 28.

Index table 20 is rotatably mounted upon housing 10 about a centralspindle 70, extends below guide tube 34, and is arranged for rotationabout the spindle by a conventional turntable motor (not shown) in aconventional manner. A plurality of regularly space-d circular recesses72 are provided in the upper surface of table 20 near its periphery,each adapted to receive and support in upstanding position a metal tube74 closed at the bottom and containing an opened coin wrapper 76, andarranged to carry such tubes and wrappers, one by one, to a position ofregistration below and in vertical alignment with guide tube 34, wherebyto receive coins dropping downwardly from the tube, as the index tableis rotated from station to station. A solenoid 78 bearing an upwardlyextending plunger 80 is mounted within housing 10 below table 20 andguide tube 34. Plunger 80 is spring loaded to normally extend upwardthrough an aperture 82 in housing 10 and a bore 84 in a recess 72 oftable 20 positioned below guide tube 34, whereby to provide a stop forhalting rotation of the table, to retain a tube 74 and wrapper 76supported by such recess in registration with the guide tube, and toelevate such tube 74 into. contact with the bottom of the guide tube,all as best shown in FIGURE 3.

Appropriate conventional electrical wiring, circuitry, switches, relays,and other electrical elements, one form of which is illustratedschematically in FIGURE 4, are provided to operate the shuttle, counter,index table, solenoid, and other mechanical elements of the invention inthe manner hereinafter described.

In operation, a plurality of tubes 74, wrappers 76, and a bushing 44 areselected, all of appropriate size for the denomination of the singletype Olf coins to be counted and wrapped. Wrappers 76 are opened,inserted in tubes 74, and the tu'bes'inserted in recesses 72 in uprightposition. Bushing 44, with the lower end of guide tube 24 received inthe top thereof, is inserted into aperture 46 of cover plate 32. Index20 is then positioned so that one tube 74 and wrapper 76 is below and inregistration with guide tube 34. Plunger 80 then moves upward throughaperture 82 and bore 84 to elevate the tube 74 into contact with guidetube 34 and to retain the tubes in mutual registration. Counter 14 isset to the number of coins which it is desired to have counted andwrapped in each wrapper.

With the coins to be counted placed in hopper 22, the shuttle mechanismis set in operation by actuation of motor 64. Motor 64 causes rotationof flywheel 62 and disc 60, imparting reciprocating movement to shuttleplate 48. As shuttle plate 48 moves forward, it contacts and pushesforwardly upon ta ble 3th the single coin permitted by bushing 44 to bepresented within space 33 below the bushing, forcing such coin betweenfriction wheel 36 and the trigger 42 of switch 40. Contact with the coincauses trigger 42 to close switch 44) and thereby to register anelectrical impulse upon counter 14 and indicator 16 Friction wheel 36,when it is contacted by the coin, forces the coin further forward withinspace 33 until the coin drops downwardly through guide tube 34 intowrapper 76. Shuttle plate 48 moves rearwardly after reaching the limitof its forward traverse and, as it clears bushing 44, allows anothercoin to drop from tube 24 onto table 30' below the bushing, in positionto be pushed forwardly by the shuttle plate when it moves forwardlyagain. As each coin in turn is thus counted and dropped into wrapper 76,its weight and that of its successors cause it to assume a horizontal,stacked position within the wrapper.

When counter 14 has recorded the passage past switch 40 of the precise,preselected number of coins for which the counter was set, it interruptsthat electrical circuit of motor 64 and energizes solenoid 78 and theturntable motor. Energization of solenoid 78 causes plunger 80 to beWithdrawn from aperture 82 and bore 84, releasing turntable 20 andallowing tube 74 to drop fully into recess 72. The turntable motor thencauses turntable 20' to rotate until the next recess 72, bore 84, tube74 and wrapper 76 are in registration with guide tube 34, whereupon thespring loaded plunger 80 again rises upward through aperture 82 and bore84 to halt rotation of the table, retain tube 74 and its containedwrapper in registration with guide tube 34, and elevate tube 74 intocontact with the guide tube. The interruption in the electrical circuitof motor 64 is then terminated, causing the shuttle mechanism torecommence operation and the cycle to repeat itself. The tube 74containing the filled coin wrapper 76 is manually removed from itsrecess 72, the open end of the wrapper manually tamped down, the wrappedroll of coins is removed, a new, open Wrapper placed in the tube, andthe tube replaced in the recess while the next cycle is in progress. Themachine continues to count out and stack within wrapper 76 thepreselected number of coins until hopper 20 is empty. The operator thenswitches off the machine.

If desired, conventional mechanical braking means may be employed toexpedite the halting of rotation of flyw heel 62 and hence reciprocalmotion of shuttle 48 simultaneously with the interruption of theelectrical circuit of motor 64 when the preselected number of coins havebeen l tf It is to be understood that the forms of the inventionherewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiments ofthe same and that resort may be had to various changes in constructionwithout departing from the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is: 1

Means for counting out and packaging in wrappers a selected number ofcoins comprising,

a vertical tube for holding a plurality of coins in stacked arrangement,7 v

a horizontal table spaced below said tube a distance greater than thethickness of one such coin and less than the thickness of two suchcoins,

a shuttle adapted for reciprocal forward and rearward motion upon saidtable and disposed during-its rearward motion to be withdrawn beyond therear edge of said tube to permit the lowermost of said stacked coins tofall from said tube upon said table, and during its forward motion tocontact and to push such coin forwardly upon said table,

an electrical switch arranged to be actuated by contact with said coinand to register such contact upon a counter,

a friction wheel arranged to contact and force said coin past saidswitch,

a vertically arranged coin guide extending through an aperture in saidtable forwardly of said switch and friction wheel and disposed toreceive and guide said coin downwardly through said table,

means for imparting reciprocating forward and rearward motion to saidshuttle and rotary motion to said friction wheel,

a horizontal platform arranged below said coin guide and adapted forrotation about a vertical axis offset from said coin guide,

index means for releasably retaining said platform in successivestations of rotation,

a plurality of upstanding tubes, each adapted to support an opened coinwrapper therein, respectively supported upon said platform at regulararcuate intervals and equidistant from said axis of rotation of saidplatform, and respectively arranged to be in registration with and belowsaid coin guide to dispose such wrapper to receive coins falling fromsaid coin guide, when said index table is at a station of rotation,

and means for electrically de-energizing said shuttle to halt forwardmotion thereof, and for rotating said platform from each station ofrotation to the next successive station of rotation, when said counterhas registered contact with a pre-se'lected number of coins.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,239,251 9/1917B atdorf 133--8 X 2,881,975 4/1959 Bower 1338 X 3,032,162 5/1962.Huckins 1338 X 3,187,759 6/1965 Rausing 133-8 X FOREIGN PATENTS 114,40512/ 1941 Australia.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Egcqminer,

